Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Thanks to you all for letting me stop by today, and while I don't mind blabbering on about various things, I thought maybe it might be more interesting for people here in the convertible to get an earful from the hero in my December Blaze, Talking in Your Sleep, Rafe Moore, and see what he has to say about being a romance hero. Rafe is the first hero I've ever done this with, but I have to admit, he's one of my favorites (don't let the others know!). Since I trapped him between the pages and found him a nice heroine to play with, I think he owes me a little blog time, don't you think?

So I dragged him away from his Christmas celebrations (and his pursuit of Joy Clarke) to ask him a few questions. I'll open him up to your questions as well. He's a genuinely nice guy, and I think you'll like his company. Actually, Rafe was raised in a family with 3 sisters, so he's very used to being around women. :) So go ahead, and ask Rafe anything you want. I'll make sure he answers nicely, though he can be a little naughty, too.

So, let me get the ball rolling...

Sam: Rafe, thanks for coming around and helping me out with this blog.Rafe: Is Joy here, too?Sam: One track mind, huh? She's at work, back in the book. You're all ours for the day. Focus. Rafe: If you say so.Sam: You've had a tough time of it lately, huh?Rafe: I guess you could say that. I'm on leave from my job, and I miss it. I miss the city and I miss driving my rig, but I have to admit, having Joy next door is making things more interesting. You should have heard what she was saying last night, she was talking about how she likes to- Sam: Rafe, maybe we shouldn't get too specific about the things Joy says in her sleep. They're pretty hot. Rafe (winking): Gotcha. Sam: So you're having this sleep problem? I'm a lousy sleeper, so I can relate. Rafe: Yeah. I haven't slept for an entire night in months. I almost crashed my bus-Sam: Bus?Rafe: My ambulance, we call 'em buses in the city. Anyway, I didn't want to stop working. I love my job, and I thought I could handle it. When I almost crashed, they put me on paid leave, but I knew it was time to walk away. For a while at least. So here I am in SanDiego, as far away as I could get from New York, but I'm still not sleeping. Sam: Doesn't help that Joy is keeping you up at night, huh?Rafe: Yeah, but I'm working on that. She keeps insisting that she doesn't talk in her sleep, but I, uh. . well, I have a plan to prove it. I can hear her loud and clear through my window at night, so we'll see how it works out. Sam (shaking head): Rafe, that sounds sketchy -- how can you prove something like that?Rafe: You'll see.Sam: Okay, so let me ask you, what's your favorite thing about Christmas, since this is a Christmas romance? Rafe: My mother's manacotti. She always makes tons for Christmas Eve. In fact, I might make some for Joy.Sam: I'm sure she'd like that. But you always had big family holidays?Rafe: Oh, yeah. My mother would cook everything, and then the people in the neighborhood would always feed us, too. My sisters decorated everything in sight. I always did lights. Tons of 'em. Don't tell Joy, but I bought some lights for her house -- hers is the only house on the block not decorated. Sam: Maybe she likes it that way.Rafe: She's too buttoned up. Except at night, when she lets loose in her sleep. She needs some Christmas spirit.Sam: Or she might want to wrap them around your neck.Rafe: I can handle it. Don't worry. You wrote me just for her, right? Sam: I can't argue with that. Listen, you and I know each other pretty well, so I think I'll open the floor to letting the folks here at the blog ask you what they want to know -- you up for it?Rafe: Why not? As long as I'm done in time to get the lights up before she gets home.

Sam: So folks. . .go for it. He's all yours, if you can get him to stop thinking about Joy for more than thirty seconds! Rafe and I will also give away a signed copy of Talking in Your Sleep to one of our inquirers at the end of the day!

[Michele stepping in here...} Now, if that interview wasn't fun enough, I asked Samantha about her image of the hero. (I love to know who authors have in mind when they are writing.) She actually found out who the model was on the cover above. His name is Gary Goba and Samantha reports he played the Naval Officer in Eyes Wide Shut (the Tom Cruise movie). Cute, eh? Now this guy to the left is who Samantha had in mind as Rafe as she was writing. He plays Colby on Numb3rs. Hee! I knew I could find an excuse to post pics of sexy men.

Thanks for cruising with us today, Samantha! Stop back anytime, and do bring along more menfolk. ;-) Stop by Samantha's website for info on all her books!

44 comments:

Rafe, a guy who puts up Christmas lights voluntarily is all right in my book! If you ever need a place to crash away from that "Joy" person, let me know!

And Samantha, I totally agree that the Colby guy on numbers is one of the best kept secrets in TV-hunkdom. Don't know why he doesn't get more play-- although they did feature him in a two or three episode thread recently. Yum!

Sam's writing, so she's letting me take the bulk of the questions, which is fine, since Joy's at work and I'm just hanging around my buddy's house today. I'm on leave from work, and this blogging helps me pass some time and not think about all the stuff weighing me down these days.

Michele, thanks for the compliment. ;) Sam has good tastes, if I don't say so myself.

Betina, thanks! We always decorated big time when I was a kid -- the guys did the lights, and then my sisters would take over after that. I can't bear to see a dark, undecorated house, which is why I plan to brighten up Joy's place in spite of her all work, no Christmas attitude.

Helen, I've been an EMT in New York City for over ten years, and the work is physical enough. Always carrying heavy equipment, heavy people, running up stairs and back and forth to the bus -- it keeps me in shape. Though now that I'm not working, I have to stay in shape other ways, so I've been taking morning runs on the beach, love that about San Diego. And of course, I'm hoping to get some exercise with Joy. . . .

Sorry, couldn't let that pass. Can you tell she's on my mind a lot? I suppose it's because I hear her dreaming about me every night -- I'm having a problem with chronic insomnia, and she's a sleeptalker. And whoa, baby, does she have some hot dreams... I'm just glad they're about me, but I'm having a hard time getting her to realize we could have some fun while she's awake, too. . .

Looking forward to spending the day with you all, and we'll be giving away a copy of the book, so Sam tells me.

Margaret... you know my sisters, don't you? Man, those are some tough questions.

I guess the thing is, with Joy, I just know she's holding herself back from life, and I can't stand to see it. She's gorgeous, for one, and those dreams she has at night have given me a peek into who she really is -- passionate, open, caring, and imaginative. She has so much to give.

Something tells me she's had a hard time of it, and if I can just get her to open up to me the way she does in her dreams, I think we could be really happy. . . .

Did you know she also volunteers at a homeless shelter, and she really takes that seriously. It's a big part of the book, and I get involved with her and her friend Pam, who runs the shelter, as well.

But she's wound so tight, so afraid to let herself be happy and open in the daylight, I just can't help wanting to help her loosen up.

I hope I'm the right guy for her -- I guess it's up to her to decide why -- but I know I don't like thinking about her with anyone else!

Thanks guys, for having me here today. This blog is always so much fun. I love putting Rafe on the spot, and I love him to bits, and I hope you will, too. This book is one of my favorites for many reasons, and yes, I agree, Colby is one of the less heralded hotties. I've always had a thing for Rob Morrow (Don, on the same show), but Colby does ring my bell...

So, I'm hopping between various things today, but will pop in, if Rafe surrenders the keyboard...

You know, even though it's Christmas and snowing like a bit- I mean, snowing a lot back in New York, it's hotter than hell here in San Diego -- some kind of freak heat wave. I'm staying at my friend Warren's house while he's off on his honeymoon, but his AC doesn't seem to be working. Joy has her window open, too, so I guess it's just the circumstances.

Believe me, it's tough to be up all night listening to Joy, and not being able to go over there and do a little something about it, if you get my drift. I tried sleeping down on the sofa, but it's pretty uncomfortable.

I did feel like a peeping tom at first, and don't care for that. I thought at first she was over there with someone -- you know? But when I found out it was just her, talking in her sleep, I brought it up, but she just won't admit it. I'm working on that...

Having my sisters taught me not give up just because Joy shoots me down. Believe me, if you think a girl growing up with brothers makes her tough, you can't even imagine what it's like for a guy growing up with sisters -- especially in my neighborhood back in Brooklyn. I had to be tough for them -- you know, if any guys got out of line -- but they also taught me how tough women are. I have a lotta respect. Still, I think being around my sisters gave me some of the inside scoop, you know? Maybe more than most guys have. I think it gives me an edge. I hope so, because I need one....

Hmmm. Robyn (I dated a Robyn once...), now you have me worried. I didn't really think about Joy finding out, but this is Sam's idea, so if Joy gets mad, well, I'll blame Sam. :) I mean, she wrote me, and she's the one who put me up to this, so. . .

Sam! You are the best! I literally was moping about last night because I couldn't find a new good Christmas Regency. I was in the mood for some Christmas reading. But it was late and I said to self, "You can go prowl Amazon tomorrow." And here you arrive with just what the doctor ordered. Christmas!

I've already been over to Amazon. You, Yardley and an anthology are winging their way to me. Yay!

Deb, thanks! I hope you like it, and I'm glad we could perk up your day. I just went for a walk in the snow with my dogs and grabbed some lunch... In for the rest of the day now. Rafe's right -- it is snowing here, but it's kind of pretty snow today.

Lois, my pleasure.

I don't know where Rafe got to, I'll go find him. He probably started working on something in Warren's house, he's been helping them remodel as a wedding present.

I'm back. Sorry, I got caught up putting up some wainscoting and lost track of time. So...

Who's this Colby guy? I don't watch much TV, but I guess those pictures do look pretty much like what I see in the mirror...

Deb, Merry Christmas to you, too! (Come to think of it, I think I dated a Debra once. . .). Thanks for buying the book!

Lois, come on over here and sit next to me, hon -- I love convertibles. I'm starting to love CA a lot, and maybe I'll buy one of these babies.

Oh, you had a question. The best thing and worst about being a romance hero?

I guess the best part is meeting the woman of my dreams, and knowing that even if the going gets rough, it's gonna work out. I know that in my heart we'll end up together, even if things aren't all smooth sailing. At least Sam as reassured me of such.

The worst is probably that you all get to, uh, read about what Joy and I do privately, thanks to Sam, who plastered it all in great detail all over the pages of the book. I mean, I hope my mom and my sisters don't read it, you know? Such is the life of a romance hero. We have no secrets. But it's a small price to pay for finding love, and after that last page, I'll be happy to just live happily ever after -- and a little more privately. :)

Margaret, thanks. :) I guess I knew what I was getting into with this Blaze thing, and in the end, while it can be a little embarrassing sometimes, I'm glad Sam picked me to be Joy's hero.

I'm with you, I think looks are great, but they can't be the whole package. My Dad always said we all get old, and when someone gets old with you, they only get more beautiful.

I do have some gifts for Joy, but she doesn't get to open them in the story. . .we get distracted. :> I tried to give her little Christmas things through the book though -- the lights, a tree, and my mom's macacotti. My sisters told me little gifts here and there are just as important as on the holidays.

Oh, Maureen (love that name -- I had a crush on a girl in school named Maureen), I am seriously starting to love the west coast. I mean, NYC is my home, and there's no place like it, but the sun and the beaches. . .and Joy. I could do more than vacation here for sure.

As for what readers might like, I guess everyone's attracted to different things, but I hope they think I'm a nice guy. You know, not a player or whatever, just a normal guy who's trying to get something real going with a girl he likes. With me, what you see is what you get, I guess. I say what's on my mind, in my heart. No secrets.

Sam - Your book is ordered and hopefully on its way here. Rafe you sound like a really wonderful guy. Sure hope Joy appreciates you. Since I haven't read the book I don't know exactly what happens but from what I've read here it sound like great read.

Jane, I'll absolutely be back in the city -- with any luck, maybe I can return to my job if I can beat this insomnia problem, but mostly my family is there. I really miss them this year, it's my first time so far away at Christmas, but it's what I had to do. I'm hoping Joy might keep me company, but I definitely want to go back. Where are you in NY?

Ellen, Sam says to say a big thanks and I should send you a hug. From my perspective, some of this stuff happening in this book is a little difficult to deal with but I think things are going to end up okay, so I'll just see it through.

Any advice for a guy dealing with a a woman who won't admit she talks in her sleep? Loudly?

He's off now, hanging lights on Jill's house... she's going to have a fit. You could say she's not exactly in the mood for Christmas. but believe me, that will change -- how could it not when naked Christmas tree decorating is in her future?

It should be interesting...

I've really enjoy this, and thanks to everyone who has read the book, who's reading it, or has it on order... You're all great! Thanks so much. This was fun, though Rafe did most of the work. . . .

I'll wait a while because I know west coast folks might still stop in, and I'll post a winner in the morning. I'm sure Rafe will stop back by if he has a chance, to answer any questions... if she doesn't strangle him with the lights...

Rafe, it sounds like you come from a big loving family! Are they going to welcome Joy to the herd? Have you brought her home? If not, when? Since your family's important to you, I'm guessing their opinion would mean something, too!

And how did you get to be so handy? What a useful person to have around the house...

Thanks for coming to chat! (Oh, and deny all you like, but indeed, males *can* be chatty--it's a good thing, usually!)

Interview =cute idea I loved RAFE!!Can't wait to read the whole story! WOW also love Your "hunky,hero inspiration".Do they make real guys in Rafe's mold??I'd love for my sons to follow in his footsteps!

Fedora, let's just say my sisters told me that women liked it when guys could "do more than grunt" in a conversation -- that's their words. So, I try. :)

My family is going to love Joy -- I could bring her home for Christmas right now and they'd be thrilled, though I have to be careful about that, because I never really brought many of my girlfriends home before -- not for a family holiday, anyway -- so I think Joy and I need more time alone together before we take that step. But when it happens, I know they'll love her. Joy, I think, doesn't seem to have much on the family side, though, so I wonder if it would be overwhelming for her? Another reason to take it slow, I guess.

As to being handy, well, it's just a thing. My Dad did stuff fixing up our house, and I always helped. Second nature, I guess.

Lorie and Laurie, thanks! It's been fun to be here, and you gals have been great. Makes me feel a little more Christmassy, like I'm with family.

Speaking of Christmas, Joy was pretty ticked about the lights -- at first -- but you know, I kind of brought her around. She's definitely warming up to me...

So, I'll go now, and let Sam come in for final posts and announce the winner -- thanks to all, and I hope you have the best of holidays.

Morning, gals -- I see Rafe beat me in here, even though he's on the west coast. Must be his insomnia keeping him awake again...

I think he's a good role model, too -- I personally like easy going, nice guys. He has his intense moments, but in a lot of ways, I think it was the female influence on his life that made him who he is. I was thinking about that because my husband, while a macho guy (had to get that in there), was also raised primarily by women, and he has all those abilities of being able to hold a conversation and a good sense of humor, a soft side, while still being a "guy." It was so funny, when I was telling the girls at a quilt shop where I go, how dh got in the face of this guy who came soliciting to our door, and when he thought I was home alone, he wouldn't go away -- until dh showed up, and it was one of those ultra-male, macho moments where you're glad your guy is around, and it's also really sexy. LOL But they wouldn't believe me! (At the shop) -- Because dh had come in with me a few times, shared his opinion on some fabrics, chatted, and could do "that" too -- so they didn't imagine him being the tough guy.

To me, it's the best combination, so I suppose that's a lot of where Rafe came from and why he's one of my favorite heroes. Dark and intense are fun to write, but at the end of the day, I like a more balanced guy.

Anyway... let me go put names in a hat and come back with a winner...

Thanks for letting me ride along for a day or so here... this has been so much fun!